Orion Space Capsule briefing at the Kennedy Space Center

Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on Monday April 15, 2013. From NASA press release: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA marked the third anniversary Monday of President Obama's speech at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where he laid out a plan to ensure the United States will remain the world's leader in space exploration. The 2014 flight test will be the first launch of Orion. NASA also is progressing toward a launch of Orion on top of the SLS rocket during a 2017 flight test.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Kennedy Space Center Director Robert Cabana discusses the progress being made during a media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule (background) for it's un crewed Exploration Flight Test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth, farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images from the Orion media briefing at the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center on the final assembly and integration of the Orion space capsule for it's uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.

ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Images of the Orion capsule after it's arrival to the Kennedy Space Center in July 2012. The Orion space capsule will fly it's first uncrewed exploration flight test 1 in 2014. During that test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles from Earth , farther than any crewed spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The unmanned mission's objective will be to test Orion's heat shield at the high speed generated during a return from deep space.